ESRB to now monitor digital titles

Kids, could you not buy that one beloved retail game due to your mom’s uncanny ability to see the “M for Mature” ESRB label? Well guess what – your mom will now be able to view ratings for all your favorite, sought after digital titles. In a press release, the ESRB announced they’ll be extending their services for all digital titles from online stores like Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Store, Wii Online Shop, and even the Windows 8 Store.

“The resulting ubiquity of ESRB ratings will ease a parent's job by presenting a single ratings standard across the many platforms on which their children access games,” the ESRB said in a statement. “Increased adoption of ESRB ratings also means that developers will no longer be subject to differing and oftentimes conflicting rating systems and standards for their digitally delivered games.”

“Consumers have grown accustomed to using ESRB ratings when making decisions about the appropriateness of the games their families play. With the explosion of devices from which consumers can access games today, our goal is to ensure that those same tools are available everywhere games can be found,” ESRB president Patricia Vance added. “More recently, parents’ concerns have begun to extend beyond just content to include the sharing of their kids’ personal information or location and interactions with other players. ESRB’s Digital Rating Service now offers all digital platforms, storefronts and networks the opportunity to empower their customers with consistent, credible, familiar and useful upfront guidance no matter where their family chooses to play games.”

The ESRB is also unleashing more interactive elements for online ratings, which can be seen below, to help parents specify what online elements their kids will be partaking in, voluntarily or not. So, sorry kids, the ESRB has ruined your day once again, hu?